Bound in Blood and a Blight
by blaydaa
Summary: F!Warden-DA:O Ayowen Amell and Alistair Theirin are not strangers- they met just three years prior to the Blight and fell in love, despite her being a mage and him being and Templar in training. They find each other again when Ayowen is conscripted into the Grey Wardens. Can their love withstand the pressures of the Blight? Pre-Blight at first, then leads into it. Not a retelling
1. Chapter 1

Alistair stared at the dark tower in the middle of the lake; it was tall and had an eerie fog around it. The air felt heavy with sadness and fear. He didn't want to see the inside; he was sure it'd be worse than it was on the outside. He was on a boat with another Templar and Kester, the man whom the boat belonged to. The closer they got to the tower, the more his anxiety grew. He had been dreading this day ever since he was told he was going to be sent here.

As the approached the giant doors that lead into the Circle, he took a deep breath and tired to prepare himself for his new life here. When they opened the doors, he was completely taken by surprise. It wasn't dark and depressing like he had expected. The sadness and fear still carried through here, but much less than it had outside... strange, he thought. The Templar who accompanied him was named Cullen; he introduced him to Knight-Commander Greagoir, who had met them at the door.

"You'll be a good addition to our ranks, Alistair."

He shook Greagoir's hand and nodded. "Thank you, Knight-Commander."

"Cullen, show him around the tower. It's easier to keep things safe here if you know what you're keeping safe," Greagoir said.

"Of course, Knight-Commander." Cullen led him through a pair of heavily armed doors and into the apprentice's quarters.

Alistair noticed that Cullen was a bit unsure of himself and stuttered now and then. He couldn't tell if he was scared to be here or if that's just how he is. "So how long have you been here, Cullen?" he asked.

"I've been here about, uh, 2 years."

"Does it ever get easier?"

"Does what get easier?"

Alistair looked around and saw many of the apprentices eyeing him. "Having to watch them all the time. It almost feels wrong, like we're spying or something."

Cullen looked at Alistair and was surprised. Usually Templars are Templars because they want to keep people safe from mages, but Alistair doesn't seem like he wants to be a Templar. Cullen understood what he meant; he's seen how some of the harsher Templars treat the mages and feels sorry for them. "I don't know. I try not to think too hard about it."

He took them past the quarters and into a library that had rows of books that went all the way up to the ceiling, but that's not what Alistair was focused on. He was watching an apprentice who looked about his age; she had long blonde hair and an amazing smile on her face, she was laughing with another mage. She had a fuller chest and her curvy hips naturally swayed back and forth when she moved. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "Who is she?"

Cullen knew whom Alistair was talking about because he was watching her too. Since the moment he had arrived, he had watched her. He was completely enraptured by her. "Her name's Ayowen. She's very talented."

Alistair noticed the awe in Cullen's voice and realized the Templar was smitten. "Ayowen," he repeated softly. He stared at her as she began to practice some spells. She handled the magic with no effort at all and did so gracefully. She cast a couple more spells with her friend and their mentor before he left to help another apprentice. Ayowen sat down at the table closest to her and picked up a book. Her friend tapped her on the shoulder and whispered something to her, they both looked up at Cullen and Alistair. The two young men flushed and began walking past the girls and into the rest of the library.

Suddenly, an intoxicating scent of rosemary and mint filled Alistair's nose. "Hi, Cullen," a beautiful voice said. They turned to find the apprentice right behind him, smiling.

"He-Hello, Ayowen," Cullen stuttered. Clearly this woman held a spell over him, one that needed no magic.

"How are you?" she said to Cullen, but was looking at Alistair. She had big green eyes, Alistair noticed. She eyed him up and down; he felt self-conscious of himself suddenly. He had strawberry blond hair and warm amber eyes. She found herself smiling wider and mentally drooled over this other man. He can't be much older than me, she thought, I hope he stays here. But at the same time, she worried that he could be like most of the other Templars, cruel and merciless, but something told her he wasn't. He had a kind air about him.

"I'm g-good. This is, uh," Cullen's mind completely blanked. He was completely head over heels for this mage.

Alistair figured Cullen was useless in introducing him, so he spoke up. "I'm Alistair," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. Her eyes went wide and she couldn't help but giggle like a little girl. He smiled; her laugh was adorable.

"I'm Ayowen, which I'm sure you figured out." She bit her lip and desperately searched her head for something to say. Something about this man made her want to keep talking to him. "Are you going to become one of the Templars here?" Mentally crossing her fingers.

"I'm not sure. It all depends on what the Chantry wants to do with me," he said, with a slight tone of irritation.

He doesn't want to be a Templar, she realized. She wondered who was forcing him to become one. "Oh. You've never been here before, have you?"

"No. This is my first time in the Circle. It's certainly... circular. How long have you lived here?"

"I'm 16 now, so that would make it 12 years."

"You were brought here when you were just 4?" That was early for a mage.

"No, I was _given _to the Circle," she said, harshly. Alistair looked at her shocked; he wasn't expecting hostility. She bit her lip again, Alistair found himself wanting to bite her lip. Watch your thoughts, he scolded himself.

Her voice softened, "Yes, I've been here since I was 4. I showed signs very early." She looked back at her friend and sighed. "I should probably let you guys get back to whatever it is you Templars do." She smiled and shook Alistair's hand, "It was nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine," he said as he brought her hand back to his lips and softly kissed it again. "I hope to run into you while I'm here, Ayowen. "She giggled again and left.

Cullen was very quiet after that; he wouldn't even look at Alistair. He realized that he just flirted with a woman that Cullen was in love with. He felt like a complete ass, but that didn't stop him from thinking about her throughout the rest of the tour.

They stopped at a row of stairs on the third floor, "That," Cullen said pointing, "is the Harrowing Chamber."

I looked up at the door, it looked like the rest of the doors throughout the Circle, but he knew that it could magically sealed during a Harrowing. "Do apprentices fail often?"

"Not really, but it's horrible when they do," he said. He led Alistair back down to the Knight-Commander without a single word. He really must've offended him.

"Now that you've seen the tower," Greagoir said, "you can get your assignment for the night. You will be positioned in front of the library. We usually don't place any Templars there, but we've noticed a few books that aren't permitted for the apprentices have been going missing and we're assuming it's been at night. All of the Templars here have positions during that time and we couldn't spare one for such a minor offense, but with an extra one we can. You can leave and get some rest after about 3 hours there. Think you can handle that?"

"Yes, Knight-Commander," Alistair said confidently.

"That's what I like to hear. Until then, you can stand watch with Cullen and ask him any questions you have."

Alistair mentally groaned. He didn't want to stay with Cullen, things felt so awkward with him now, but he wasn't about to tell Greagoir and then have to explain why he was flirting with a mage in the first place.

He followed Cullen back to his post and let his mind wander back to Ayowen. Her blonde hair that looked soft, the greenest eyes he had ever seen, the way she bit her naturally red lip, again he wondered what it'd be like to bite her lip. He found himself fantasizing about her and was thankful that he had armor that hid his growing erection.

"Alistair." Alistair looked over to Cullen who looked annoyed; Alistair got the feeling that Cullen had said his name more than once. "You should go to the library now."

"Uh, right." He turned and left for the library. Who would steal books, he wondered. He stood in front of the arch that separated the hall from the library. Within minutes, he was bored. He stared down at his feet and began kicking a pebble back and forth. The Templars teach discipline and patience, but he was still a teenager, his attention span only went so far.

Out of the top of eye, he saw movement ahead of him. He stood up straight and saw long blonde hair. It was Ayowen; she was walking backwards toward the library. She had one hand against the wall to guide her and the other was carrying something in front of her. She had on a loose shirt and trousers, her nightclothes. It was strange seeing a mage out of their robes. She was walking slowly and wasn't making a sound. She continued to walk towards him, and his eyes drifted to her hips, he watched them sway back and forth.

She was right in front of him now; he lightly put his hands on her shoulder and whispered, "Need something from the library, Ayowen?"

She jumped and dropped a couple of books onto the floor. "Shit!"

Alistair smiled. "It looks like we've found our book thief," he said, crossing his arms.

She sighed and picked the books back up. "So, how much trouble am I in? All I did was take books."

Alistair laughed and took the books from her. "I don't know. Taking books is a very serious offense, Ayowen," he teased.

She couldn't help but smile; she knew he wouldn't tell Greagoir. "I can think of a few other serious offenses I could do in the company of a fine Templar," she said suggestively.

His mind went back to his earlier thoughts about her and again, he silently thanked the Maker for the armor. "I think you should be punished for the first crime," he said, his voice husky.

"And what punishment do you see fit?"

He thought for a moment and just burst out laughing. She thought his laugh was amazing and contagious; she couldn't help but laugh with him. "If someone told me that on the first night I spent at the tower I'd be talking about this with a mage that I just met, I'd think they were absolutely crazy."

"I think you're absolutely crazy for not expecting it. Haven't you heard that here in the Ferelden Circle, everyone is always kissing everyone else?" She took his armored hand and led him into the library. She took the books from him, one at a time, and put them back where they belonged.

"So, why did you take the books in the first place?"

"Because, I'm still only an apprentice and these books are only for the mages, but I want to learn so much more than what they're teaching me. I'm much more skilled than the other apprentices and even some of the mages. I know that makes me sound arrogant, but it's true."

He remembered the way she handled her magic effortlessly, he also recalled the way the rest of the apprentices seemed scared and couldn't control it as well as her. She really was far more advanced. "I saw you practicing spells earlier-"

"I know you did. You couldn't keep your eyes off me the minute you entered the library," she smiled.

"How do you know that? You were concentrating on your mentor."

"No I wasn't, I'm just good at pretending."

He blushed, he knew he wasn't exactly subtle when he was watching her, but he had no idea that she was paying attention to him the entire time. "Wait, so that means you were focused on me the whole time too," he said with a smirk.

Now it was her turn to blush. She sat down at one of the tables and Alistair sat down with his legs on each side of the bench so he could face her. "Well, I can't help but notice when a new Templar comes in. Especially one as handsome as yourself, Ser Alistair," she joked, but had a note of seriousness in her voice.

"Aww, you think I'm handsome? That's so sweet." He smiled and took off his gauntlets. "Do I get to say the same?"

"Only if you think so."

"Oh, I think so. I'll just spring it on you when you're least expecting it."

She smiled and tucked one leg under the other so she could face him. She put her elbow on the table and rested her head on her hand. "Hmm."

"What?"

"It just feels like I know you. I mean, I know that I don't because I've been here since I was 4, but you just feel familiar." She looked at him, her green eyes boring into his. "You know, you don't seem to have the temperament of a Templar."

"Well, I didn't even want to be a Templar. I was forced."

"That's what I thought. Who forced you? Your father?"

His face fell; he had to be careful with his answer; he couldn't say too much. "My guardians did. I'm not sure if my life would've been better if they didn't send me away, to be honest."

The tone in his voice sounded like he didn't want to talk about it, so she didn't push him for any more answers. She wanted him to smile again, so she joked, "Well, you got to meet me, so I would think that that would make being a Templar worth while."

He smiled that glorious smile, "Yes, it does. Since we're probing for information, why did you get hostile about being brought, I mean taken, here?"

This was something she definitely didn't want to talk about. She sighed and didn't answer.

"I think it's only fair, Ayowen. You asked me a question and I answered." The fact that she didn't answer made him even more curious.

She sighed again, deeper this time, and finally spoke. "My family was very wealthy and influential in Kirkwall, until I was born. Magic and influence don't go well together, especially in Kirkwall. My great uncle was going to become viscount, but that opportunity was taken away from him when I was born. My family gladly gave me away to the Circle." Anger built up in her.

Alistair saw the anger in her face and went to grab her hands but they were clenched and flaming. "Ayowen?" He grabbed her arms instead.

She saw her hands and quickly unclenched them and the fire went out. Alistair took her hands in his, now that it was safe. "Sorry, it's just- it makes me feel like they didn't want anything to do with me. They didn't even put me in the Kirkwall Circle, they sent me over seas, it's like they didn't want me to write to them. I was a taint in their bloodline." Her hands were starting to warm up again. Alistair noticed, but refused to let go.

Her hands were on fire again, and only did she realize it when she looked at Alistair's face. He winced and she looked down at her hands and let go of his. "Maker, I'm so sorry, Alistair."

"It's alright, Ayowen," he said through clenched teeth. The pain was horrible, but it was worth feeling like he comforted her a little. He looked down at his hands, they were red and began to bleed a little. He took a deep breath, inhaling her amazing smell of rosemary and mint.

Ayowen put his hands on her knees. She began softly trailing her fingers across his hand healing them. He felt warmth and tingling in them, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the magic or because of her. She lifted his hands and checked for any other burns, but there was none. "I really am sorry. I've never talked about my family to anyone except the First Enchanter and my best friend, Valerie." She looked down at her hands, which were still clutching his, and smiled. "I guess you could say I have some built up anger. Or maybe I just have anger issues, or a short temper. Maybe all three."

He smiled, his hands were still tingling and he was sure it was because she was still holding them. "I think it adds to your charm," he said.

"Aww, you think I'm charming? That's so sweet," she mirrored his words from earlier. "Is this where I get to say the same?"

He chuckled, "Only if you think so."

She smiled, "Oh, I think so. I'll just spring it on you when you're least expecting it." She let go of Alistair's hands and stood up. She walked to the end of the table and back to Alistair, blowing out each of the candles. Alistair didn't realize how much those candles illuminated the row they were sitting in; it was almost too dark to see.

Ayowen sat back down next to a confused Alistair. "Why'd you do that? Now I don't get to see your beautiful face as well."

She didn't say anything, instead she held her hand out in front of her and an orb of light appeared in it. "Sometimes, the simplest magic is the most beautiful."

Alistair looked at the light and then back to Ayowen. She was staring at the orb, watching it turn in her hand. "What happens if I put my hand in it?"

She chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I've never done it."

"Can I try? If my hand freezes or burns, you can just heal it, right?"

"I'll try to. No promises that your hand will be completely fixed though."

"Okay." Alistair stared at the ball a few more seconds, then lifted his hand over it. Hesitantly, he began lowering his closer to hers. His hand didn't burn or freeze, but it tickled. "It tickles, but that's it." He took his hand out of it and looked at the orb again, just watching it. She was right when she said it was beautiful. "Can you change its shape?"

She put her other hand over top the orb and stretched it, making it the length of her shoulders. "Yep." She closed both hands and they were back in darkness.

She lifted one hand and the tip of her index finger lit up. She wrote something in the air, but Alistair couldn't make it out. "I can't read backwards. You're going to have to face the other way."

Ayowen turned so her back was facing Alistair. She was so close to him; he wanted to wrap his arms around her and just hold her, but he resisted the urge. She put her hand back in the air and wrote, "I should go soon." After a few seconds, it disappeared.

He frowned and took her hand, "May I?"

"Of course."

Her finger lit up again as Alistair guided her hand and wrote, "I don't want you to."

She smiled and wrote, "I don't want to either."

Again, he took hers, "Then don't."

"I need sleep, and so do you."

"I can sacrifice sleep for you."

"I'd feel guilty."

"You shouldn't. It's my choice."

She craned her neck to look back at him. With her voice she said, "I guess I can stay a little longer," feigning annoyance. In reality, she was thrilled that Alistair wanted her to stay.

Her face was so close to his, only inches separating their lips. He could feel her breath on his face, it was driving him insane. Maker, how could a woman he barely knew have this affect on him? He was beginning to see why Cullen couldn't keep his mind right around her. "I'm g-glad." Great, now he was even stuttering like Cullen. She eyed his lips, they looked so tender and inviting. She bit her lip; something she always did. That did it for him; he brought his mouth down on hers, hungry. She responded back to him and somehow managed to turn her body to face him without ending the kiss. Her tongue began to sweep across his lip, seeking entry, but he pulled away.

His face turned a deep red, "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, but I-" But he what, couldn't help it? That sounded like a pathetic excuse, even if it were true.

"It's, um, fine." Maker, why did he stop? "You don't have to apologize."

"Yes, I do. The Chantry taught us to be gentlemen, and well, that was what they told us not to do."

She scoffed and chuckled, "The Chantry and their rules." She yawned and stood up; Alistair followed. "Are you going to be here tomorrow night too?"

"More than likely. Will you come here again tomorrow?" he said, his hopes high.

"Yes," she said smiling. "What else am I going to do, sleep?" she joked. She stood up on her toes to give Alistair a small peck on the lips. "Good night, Alistair."

"Good night, Ayowen."

For the next few days, that's how their nights went. They both went to the library and talked about this, that, and everything else. The two had become quite close, and it began apparent to all of those who saw them during the day. No one knew about the nightly get-togethers though, except Valerie of course. On the eighth day they met, Alistair seemed upset.

"What's wrong?" Ayowen asked, worried.

He looked at her, regret and concern in his eyes. He had just witnessed a Harrowing for one of the apprentices; she failed and he had watched as one of the Templars drove his sword into her like it was no big deal. How cruel could you be, he wondered. Now he was worried for Ayowen. She still had yet to go through hers, she probably wouldn't be summoned for another couple years because she's still young, but what if she is called and she fails too?

This beautiful woman, whom he had only known for a little over a week, had captured his heart and he just saw what could kill her in a few years. The moment he had seen the sword driven through the mage, he had made his decision. "Ayowen, I can't stay here anymore."

She just stared at him, eyes wide with shock. "What? Why?"

"One of the apprentices went through her Harrowing last night and she-" he stopped. He didn't know how much of the Harrowing he was allowed to speak of. They weren't supposed to give away any details about it. "She failed. I can't watch that happen again. I couldn't be the one to- and if it happened to you- if I was the one told to ki- no, I couldn't do it. I can't stay here," he repeated.

She fought back tears and nodded. She understood why he had to leave. His heart was filled with love and compassion; he can't be a Templar. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, "I understand. When are you leaving?"

Alistair put his arms around her waist. "I don't know. I sent a letter out to Ar- my guardian, he's about 2 days away from here. He'll persuade the Chantry to take me back there. It's about 4 days away, there and back. So four or five days left here." The thought of leaving saddened him even more. If anything could make him stay here, it was her. If she had broke down crying and begged him to stay, then he probably would've given in, but she didn't. "Will you write to me when I leave?"

"Every chance I get. You better not forget me," she joked. He looked down at her face and saw a smile on her mouth, but a tear in her eye.

"You're unforgettable, Ayowen." Neither of them spoke for the rest of that night. They just sat on the bench in each other's arms.

On the day that Alistair left, it was rainy and miserable. He managed to find Ayowen before he had to leave to say good bye. She openly embraced him and everyone who saw stared. Neither of them cared at that moment, they felt like they were losing their other half. She walked with him to the door, and when it came time for him to leave, he bent down and kissed her. It was a soft kiss that only last a few seconds, but was full of love and passion. It shocked many of the Templars, including Greagoir. He didn't scold either of them, which is what Ayowen had expected. Maybe he wasn't so heartless after all.

For the next couple of years, they wrote to each other, each letter getting longer and longer, but it stopped suddenly. Ayowen had been expecting a letter for the past few days, but had received nothing. She grew worried, the worse case scenarios playing in her head. What if something happened, what if he was killed, what if he's gotten tired of me; on and on the list of "what ifs" played in her head. She tormented herself with these thoughts day and night. It was all she could think about; not receiving a letter from him felt like a punch to the gut. That lasted about six months; she never recieved anymore letters from him; eventually, she gave up hope.

One day, she was pacing in her room. She needed something to do, something to distract her, but there wasn't much that could do that in the Circle. She could study, well no, she can't do that. She's already memorized all the books for apprentices. She could practice spells in the library, but even after all these years, that reminds her of Alistair and the way he would watch her when she'd show him different spells during their time spent there. Throughout the day, her mind kept going back to Alistair.

That night, she was laying in bed, wide awake. She hadn't been able to think of anything to distract her, so all she thought about that day was him. When the group of Templars showed up by her bed, she hopped out of bed. "What's going on?"

"It's time for your Harrowing," one of them said. They lead her up to the Harrowing Chamber and sent her into the fade.

She completed the Harrowing in record time and was receiving congratulations from everyone. The rest of the day seemed like a blur to her; she woke up a mage that day and ended up walking out a Grey Warden.


	2. Chapter 2

"Feel free to explore the camp," Duncan said. "All I ask is that you do not leave it for the time being. There is another Grey Warden here by the name of Alistair. When you're finished, seek him out and tell him it's time to summon the other recruits." He turned and left across the bridge.

Alistair? Maybe it was her Alistair. She thought about it for a moment and decided it was probably too good to be true, but she had to find out. She didn't bother looking around the camp; she went on to look for Alistair.

She walked up a stone ramp and heard a voice. "Your glibness does you no credit." The man sounded irritated.

"And here I thought we were getting along so well. I was even going to name one of my children after you... the grumpy one." Ayowen stopped dead in her tracks. That voice; it had to be him. She ran up the next ramp and saw him.

The mage said something else and stormed off, but Alistair wasn't paying attention. He was staring at the woman standing a few feet away. Alistair barreled toward her and wrapped his arms around her and spun her in a circle. "Maker, I never thought I'd see you again." He put her back on the ground but kept his arms around her.

She didn't say anything; she just stood there staring at his face. He still had that kind look, but his features were more chiseled. She took her hand and traced the edge of his face; he leaned into it. "I missed you so much, Alistair. When you stopped writing, I was worried."

"Aww, you care about me," he joked and smiled. "I had written you letters, but I never got the chance to send them to you. I'm sorry." Suddenly, a worrisome thought entered his head. "What are you doing here? Are you here to join the king's army?"

She shook her head, "No. I was conscripted into the Grey Wardens."

That's what he was hoping she wasn't here for. "Oh. Conscripted?"

"Well, Duncan didn't exactly ask. I got into some, uh, serious trouble, and Greagoir was going to punish me but Duncan conscripted me before he could."

"What did you do?"

"I may have helped a friend escape the Circle." She smiled and put an innocent look on her face.

"Maker's breath, Ayowen. Why?"

Her face fell. "They were going to make him Tranquil. They suspected him to be a blood mage, and when we were caught, he used blood magic to get away. So, their suspicions were right." Her feelings were conflicted, she felt like she was doing the right thing by helping her friend, but he was a blood mage and she had it drilled in her that blood magic was wrong.

Alistair could see the conflict on her face and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "It's behind you now. You're going to become a Grey Warden, and you'll have a new life. You'll have more freedom."

The last part cheered her up. She had confessed to Alistair that she felt caged in the Circle. They wouldn't allow her to reach her potential, but with the Wardens, she may be able to. She smiled from ear to ear, excited by this realization. "We'll be able to see each other again. I miss those few nights we spent together in the library. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't a mage, but didn't look down on magic."

"I miss them too." He worried about her becoming a Grey Warden. What if she doesn't make it? What if she does, she'll have to suffer what he goes through, but she'll be alive at least. He cupped her face in his hands and drank in every feature. Her big green eyes, her soft blonde hair, her tender red lips.

There was something strange in his face, Ayowen noticed. Fear and worry, but why? She wanted to ask, but he brought his lips to hers before she could even open her mouth. The kiss was deep and passionate. Much their last one, on the day Alistair had left the Circle. It felt like he was preparing to say good-bye again. "What's wrong?" she asked after she pulled away.

He shook his head, "Nothing," he lied.

She knew he wasn't telling the truth, but she deciding not to push. "So, what's it like?"

"Kissing a beautiful woman like you?" he smirked.

She chuckled, "I'm sure kissing me is amazing. But I was talking about being a Grey Warden."

"You'll see soon enough." He dropped one of his arms from her waist, moving the other one around her shoulder.

"You guys have some really nice armor. I think you look better in the blue and silver armor than the Templar armor."

"Really? I can't imagine why," he chuckled.

"Well, other than the fact that Templars have hounded me my whole life; I like that you're in pants, instead a dress with armor on top."

"What? You don't think that Templars have stylish armor?" he feigned shock.

"No, I don't. In all reality though, I'd prefer to see you in no armor," she said suggestively. "But I don't think they'd allow you to walk around like that. It's a shame really."

Alistair laughed and kissed the top of her head. "What am I going to do with you, Ayowen?"

She looked up, pretending to be in deep thought. "You could come with me to my tent and punish me for stealing those books three years ago. I never received proper discipline."

Alistair blushed, and chuckled nervously. His length was becoming hard underneath his armor. He hoped it wasn't noticeable.

"Did I embarrass you, Alistair?" she teased.

"No, I just-" he took a deep breath and tried to focus on anything other than Ayowen's words. "Come on. We should find the other recruits, Daveth and Ser Jory."

They found Daveth near the camp's merchant. He was flirting, well, trying to flirt, with one of the army's soldiers. She was completely uninterested; Ayowen couldn't help but laugh.

Daveth turned and immediately began looking Ayowen up and down, ignoring the fact that Alistair had his arm around her. "My, my. What do we have here? The third recruit?"

"Yep. I'm Ayowen. You must be Daveth," she said.

"That's me. You know, I wasn't expecting you to be a woman, yet here you are."

She smiled, "Maybe they just saved the best for last."

"Certainly the best looking," Daveth smirked.

Alistair felt a pang of jealousy and pulled Ayowen closer to him. "You should get back to Duncan, Daveth."

Daveth noticed Alistair's reaction and his smirk grew bigger. "Of course." He took Ayowen's hand and kissed it. Alistair's grew angry and was about to say something, but Daveth cried out in pain. "Ow!" He shook his hand and used his other one to fan his mouth. "What in Maker's name is wrong with your hand? It burned me!"

She smiled and shrugged. "I guess I'm just that hot." She led Alistair away from Daveth and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Alistair asked, trying to keep his voice calm, but it was hard, he was still angry at Daveth for flirting with Ayowen.

"You. I didn't realize you were the jealous sort."

Alistair became defensive, "Well, I can't help-"

"Oh, stop," she interrupted. "I think it's cute." She took his hand and pulled it off her shoulder and intertwined her fingers with his. "Now to find Ser Jory."

Jory was standing with a group of other soldiers who were gathered around a Chantry priest. "Hello, Ser Jory," Alistair said. "This is Ayowen, the third recruit."

"I did not know they permitted woman to join the Grey Wardens," Jory responded.

"Well, they do. You don't have a problem with it, do you?" Ayowen hated that people were shocked that a woman could be a Grey Wardens.

"You obviously impressed Duncan; that's good enough for me. I hope we're both lucky enough to join."

He sounded dim-witted, Ayowen noted. "Right. Well, Duncan is waiting for us, so we should probably go." She led Alistair back to the large fire in the middle of camp, where Duncan was waiting for them.

After speaking with Duncan, the four of them were sent to the Korcari Wilds to search for darkspawn blood, Grey Warden documents, and a flower for the kennel master. They managed to find them easily enough, with a few darkspawn encounters here and there. They made it back to camp, all of them becoming anxious about the secret Joining ritual.

Alistair led them to where the ritual would take place, but he stopped Ayowen before they made it. "You two go on. We'll be right there," he said to Daveth and Jory. He turned his attention to Ayowen. "How are you feeling?"

"I-I'm nervous." She met his gaze and stared deep into his amber eyes. "I don't want to die," she whispered.

He cupped her face and rested his forehead on hers. "I can't lie to you; I don't know what will happen, but you're strong, Ayowen."

A tear had escaped her eye and he wiped it away. Their lips crashed together in a kiss filled with love and compassion. In the few seconds that it lasted, they were able to forget their fear and were in a world all their own.

Ayowen took a deep breath, "Let's get this over with."

Daveth and Jory were bickering, but she couldn't hear them. She was trying to be brave, trying to convince herself that it will be all right, but she couldn't.

Duncan finally arrived with a goblet filled with a dark red liquid- the darkspawn blood. "We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but they have been said since the first," Duncan said. "Alistair, if you would."

Alistair nodded and looked up at Ayowen. "Join us, brothers and sisters," His eyes never left her as he spoke, "Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry our duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day, we shall join you."

Duncan faced Daveth, "Daveth, step forward." He handed him the goblet. Daveth brought it to his lips and drank only a little bit before handing it back to Duncan. His hands went up to his throat and he collapsed to his knees, crying out in pain. "I am sorry, Daveth." Daveth's body went limp, and he died on the ground in front of them. Duncan turned to Jory, holding the goblet out to him. "Step forward, Jory."

"But, I have a wife... a child," Jory whimpered. "Had I known-"

"There is no turning back," Duncan interrupted.

Jory pulled out his sword and backed up to the pillar behind him. "No. You ask too much. There is no glory in this."

Duncan too, pulled out his sword and drove it into Jory's middle. "I am sorry." He sheathed his sword and turned to face Ayowen. "But the Joining is not done. You were called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good."

She took the goblet from him, and looked back at Alistair for a second before drinking the liquid that could end her life. She swallowed the blood; it felt like liquid fire going down her throat. The pain was unbearable; was this what Daveth felt, she wondered. She passed out and began to fall to the ground, but Alistair caught her.

She was breathing; she was alive. He lifted her up, with her legs dangling over his arm. "Take her to her tent, Alistair. When you're done, meet me at the fire. I need to speak with you," Duncan said to him.

Alistair quickly took her to her tent. He lied her down on her pillow and covered her with a blanket. He took off his gloves and he brushed his fingers across her face. She had such beautiful, porcelain skin. He left the tent and made his way to Duncan.

"What did you want to talk about, Duncan?" Alistair asked.

"So, this was the mage you told me about," Duncan said.

Alistair blushed, "Uh, yes. Ayowen was the mage I met when I was at the Circle."

Duncan smiled, "The love you share is apparent when you look at each other. That's a rare thing, Alistair." His face grew serious, "Love is a wonderful and powerful thing. You must be careful and remember, both of you are Grey Wardens. Wardens must always put our duty ahead of our personal desires."

Alistair nodded his head. "I will, Duncan."

"I know you will. You should go back and check on her. She could wake up at any moment."

Alistair turned and went back to Ayowen's tent. She was beginning to stir. "Good morning, sunshine," Alistair said, smiling. He sat down next to her and pushed the hair that had fallen into her face.

She rubbed her eyes and started to sit up, but quickly lied back down. She felt dizzy and weak. "Is it morning already? I don't feel like I've slept that long."

Alistair shook his head and took her hand. "No, it's still nighttime. Did you have any nightmares?"

She nodded and replayed the nightmare in her head. She saw a dragon; it was huge and was an eerie dark purple. It had razor sharp teeth and was flying above her. It spoke, but she couldn't understand what it said. It was unnerving. "Are they going to happen often?"

"It depends. For some people it happens all the time. They have trouble sleeping their whole lives. Others don't have them as much." He lied down next to her, keeping his hand locked with hers. "I hope they aren't horrible for you."

"Me too." She inched closer to him and put her head on his arm. "I can't believe how lucky I am."

He pulled her closer to him and turned his head towards her, their noses almost touching. "Lucky?"

"Lucky that I was able to see you again, and you obviously still care about me," she smiled. "When you hadn't written back all those months, I thought that maybe you got tired of me," she said shyly.

"One would have to be a madman to get tired of you, Ayowen. You are the most amazing woman I have ever met." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "What I can't understand is how you even thought of flirting with a would-be Templar that day we met."

"You seemed different. You really didn't look like you belonged, and I figured you probably didn't want to be there. I'm glad I was right."

"Is the Grey Warden Ayowen in there?" a voice asked outside the tent.

Ayowen sat up, feeling less dizzy this time, and poked her head out. "Yes, I'm in here. What do you need?" she asked kindly.

An elf stood in front of her with a piece of paper in his hand. "I have a message from King Cailan. He would like to see you and Duncan at his meeting with Loghain."

"When is it?"

"Right now." He told her where the meeting was being held, then quickly left.

"I guess I should probably go. I don't think the king would be very happy if I just ignored his message," she said sadly. She didn't want to leave yet. She wanted to stay lying there in Alistair's arms.

"No, you shouldn't. He'll probably get mad, start crying and stomping his feet; it won't be very pretty."

"Are you going to stay here tonight?"

"Would you like me to?"

"Yes." She was scared she'd have more nightmares and thought that having Alistair with her would make it better. She also just wanted him to be with her.

"Then I will." He smiled and sat up to kiss her.

She smiled back and left for the meeting. It was long and boring. Her and Alistair were assigned to light the beacon atop the Tower of Ishal for Loghain's men to charge. She was disappointed; she wanted to help in the battle, but the king's wishes are the king's wishes and they must be obeyed. She was sure that Alistair wasn't going to be happy about it either once he found out.

"What? I won't be in the battle?" Alistair exclaimed. Duncan had found Alistair and had brought him and Ayowen back to the fire.

"This is by the king's personal request, Alistair. If the beacon is not lit, Teryn Loghain's men won't know when to charge," Duncan said, slightly exasperated.

Alistair rolled his eyes. "So he needs two Grey Wardens standing up there holding the torch just in case, right?"

"I agree with Alistair. We should be in the battle!" Ayowen said.

"That is not your choice," Duncan was getting annoyed. Ayowen wasn't sure if it was because they were arguing or because of Cailan's ridiculous request. "If King Cailan wishes Grey Wardens to ensure the beacon is lit, then Grey Wardens will be there. We must do whatever it takes to destroy the darkspawn horde; exciting or no."

"I get it, I get it," Alistair sighed. "Just so you know, if the king ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line. Darkspawn or no."

"What if _I_ asked?" Ayowen chuckled.

Alistair thought for a moment, "Only if I get payment of some sort, and it has to be a pretty dress."

Ayowen smiled, "Sounds like a deal then."

Duncan sighed and shook his head. "The tower is on the other side of the gorge from the king's camp, the way we came in when we arrived. You two will need to cross the gorge and head through the gate and up to the tower entrance. From the top, you'll overlook the entire valley. We will signal you to light the beacon; Alistair will know what to look for."

"Alright. Sounds easy enough," Ayowen grumbled.

Alistair threw his arm around Ayowen. "Come on! It'll be fun!" he said sarcastically.

"I know it's not the glamorous of jobs, but it's very important. Remember that. You two get some sleep. You'll need to be ready for tomorrow."

"Good night, Duncan," Alistair said. The two of them went back to Ayowen's tent and went to bed.

Neither of them had any nightmares that night. Ayowen had woken early and noticed that she and Alistair were wrapped around each other; they hadn't gone to sleep like that. She fell back to sleep with a smile on her face.

A few hours later, Duncan woke the two of them up. "Here, Ayowen." He handed her a set of robes. "Wear these with pride."

She admired the robes for a few minutes before putting them on. They were silver and blue with a griffon on the chest. They were armored and felt more powerful than her Circle robes. "How do I look?" she asked Alistair.

"You look like a sexy Grey Warden who could kick some serious ass," he said smiling. He put on his own armor and and grabbed his sword and shield. "Are you ready?"

She stood up on her toes and gave him a small peck on the lips. "Yep. Let's go light a beacon."

* * *

Ayowen woke and found herself in nothing but her small clothes on a bed inside a hut.

"Ah. Your eyes finally open."

A familiar voice startled Ayowen. She didn't notice the young woman standing in the hut with her when she woke. "You're the girl from the Wilds."

"I am Morrigan, lest you have forgotten. How well does your memory fare? Do you remember Mother's rescue?" Morrigan said, her yellow eyes watching Ayowen.

Ayowen searched through her memory. The last thing she remembered was being shot in the chest with a darkspawn's arrow. "Wait, what happened to the King, the army?"

"The man who was to respond to your signal quit the field," she said with little emotion. "Your friend is not taking it well."

"Alistair? Is he alright?"

She nodded, "I suppose it would be unkind to say he's being childish."

"Those were his friends; practically his family! You can hardly blame him for being upset." Ayowen suddenly thought of Duncan; no, he can't be dead, she thought. But something told her he was. She knew Alistair must be devastated about that; he looked at Duncan like he was his father.

"If his 'friends' approved of his moping about their deaths, then these are not the same Grey Wardens from the stories," Morrigan said.

Ayowen shook her head in frustration, how could anyone be so heartless? "I should go. Thank you, Morrigan."

"I-" Morrigan's eyes went wide in surprise. She was never thanked for anything. "You are welcome. Though, it was Mother who saved you; I am no healer."

Ayowen quickly put her armor back on and ran outside. Alistair was staring at a pond, grief stricken.

"See? Here is your Grey Warden now. You worry too much, dear boy," the old witch said.

Alistair spun around and embraced Ayowen. "I can't believe it. You're alive! I thought you had died. When I saw you on the ground, you were surrounded by blood and there was an arrow in your chest and I didn't know what to do and the darkspawn kept coming and I-"

"Alistair," she said softly, interrupting him.

"I'm sorry. It's just- I thought I lost you. We'd both be dead on the tower if it wasn't for Morrigan's mother."

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here, boy," the old woman said.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "But what do we call you? You never told us your name."

She shrugged, "Names are pretty, but useless. The Chasind folk call me Flemeth, I suppose that will do."

"_The _Flemeth? From the legends? Daveth was right, you're the Witch of the Wilds, aren't you?" Alistair said, shocked.

"Now, what does that mean? I know a bit of magic and it has served you both well has it not?"

"Why did you save us?" Ayowen asked. "That seems like a lot of trouble to go through for people you've only just met."

"Well, we can't have all the Grey Wardens dying off at once, can we? It has always been the Grey Wardens' duty to unite the land during a Blight. Or did that all change when I wasn't looking?" Flemeth said.

Ayowen snorted. "This land is hardly united because of Teryn Loghain."

"It just doesn't make sense," Alistair exclaimed. "Why would he do it?"

"The throne, maybe?" Ayowen suggested. "Though, this is hardly a good time to become power-hungry."

"Perhaps he thinks the Blight is something he can outmaneuver. Perhaps he does not see the true evil behind it."

"The archdemon," Alistair said, ominously.

"So, we have to kill the archdemon. How exactly are we supposed to do that with just the two of us?" Ayowen asked.

Alistair thought for a moment, "We can go to Arl Eamon. He wasn't at Ostagar; he still has all his men. And he was Cailan's uncle; he won't just stand by while his nephew's murderer walks free."

"Why would he believe us over the Teyrn?"

"Because I know him; he raised me. He's a good man, and he'll see past Loghain's lies."

That's who sent him away to the Chantry to become a Templar, Ayowen thought. She wasn't sure if the Arl was as good a man as Alistair thought; why would he send Alistair away to become something he didn't want to be? "Surely there are others who will help us."

"You have more at your disposal than just old friends," Flemeth said.

"Of course!" Alistair nearly shouted. "The treaties! Grey Wardens can demand aid from dwarves, elves, mages, and other places; they're obligated to help us during a Blight."

Flemeth crossed her arms. "I may be old, but dwarves, elves, mages, this Arl Eamon; that sounds like an army to me."

"So, can we do this?" Alistair asked. "Go to Redcliffe and these other places and build an army?"

Ayowen shrugged, "Isn't that what Grey Wardens do?"

"You are set then? Ready to be Grey Wardens?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Ayowen said. "Thank you, Flemeth."

Flemeth shook her head, "No, no. Thank you. Before you go, there is one more thing I can offer you."

Just then, Morrigan walked out of the hut. "The stew is bubbling, Mother. Shall we have two guests this evening, or none?"

"The Grey Wardens are leaving shortly, girl, and you will be joining them," Flemeth said, practically smirking.

"Such a sha-" Morrigan just registered what her mother had said. "What?"

"You heard me, girl. The last time I looked, you had ears," Flemeth laughed.

Ayowen looked back and forth between the two odd mages, unsure whether she wanted this woman to travel with them or not. "If she doesn't wish to join us then-"

"Her magic will be useful," Flemeth interrupted. "And she knows her way through the Wilds."

"Not to look a gift horse in the mouth," Alistair wasn't sure he wanted Morrigan along either. "But, won't this add to our problems? Outside the Wilds, she's an apostate."

"If you do not wish help from us illegal mages, perhaps I should've left you on top of that tower," Flemeth said sharply.

"Point taken."

Morrigan and her mother continued talking, but Ayowen wasn't listening. She was trying to figure out what they were going to do. Morrigan walked back into the house then came out with a small sack.

"I am at your disposal, Grey Wardens." She didn't seem too happy about that. "I suggest a village outside the Wilds be our first destination. 'Tis not far and you will find much you need there. Or, if you prefer, I can be your silent guide. The choice is yours."

"Let's just get going. The sooner we get started, the better," Ayowen said.

Morrigan nodded and turned to her mother. "Farewell, Mother. Do not forget the stew on the fire. I would hate to return to a burned down hut."

"Bah!" Flemeth shouted. "'Tis far more likely you would return to see this entire area along with my hut swallowed by the Blight."

"I- all I meant was-"

"Yes, I know. Do try to have fun, dear."

Ayowen took a deep breath and grabbed Alistair's hand. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he said, repeating her earlier words to Flemeth. "Let's go."

The three of them left Flemeth's hut and made their way to Lothering.


	3. Chapter 3

A deep roar filled her ears as she saw the dragon fly overhead. She stood there, motionless. The air around her felt cold, making her shiver. Ayowen looked around and saw nothing but darkness and the dragon. She was afraid and tried screaming, but no sound came out. The dragon began speaking, the words sounded familiar, like she had heard them before, but she didn't understand them.

"Ayowen?" That voice. She knew that voice, but she didn't see anyone around her. The dragon had flown away, but she was still trapped in the never-ending blackness. "Ayowen?!" It was louder this time, more forceful. She started shivering harder; she was shaking now. "Ayowen!"

Her eyes flew open and she sat straight up. She was still shaking. She blinked hard a few times, until her surroundings became apparent. Alistair was sitting beside her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, trying to calm her. "It was just a nightmare," he whispered. "You're safe."

Ayowen leaned into him, taking comfort in his warmth. "Ii-it was...horrible. I'm sorry I woke you."

He kissed the top of her head. "It's alright, Ayowen," he whispered into her hair. He lied back down, taking her with him. "Try to get some more sleep before morning." She rested her head on his arm and closed her eyes. She quickly fell back to sleep and didn't have any more nightmares.

Alistair woke up a few hours later; Ayowen was still sleeping on his arm. As softly as he could, he put her head on the pillow and walked out of their tent. Sten and Morrigan were awake already; Morrigan had made breakfast for everyone. He sat down by the fire and took some food. Leliana and Ayowen soon woke up and ate too.

Ayowen tossed her scraps to the mabari she saved at Ostagar, Caro. Morrigan scoffed. "I still cannot believe you allowed that mangy creature to follow us. Is it not bad enough that we have Alistair?"

Caro whined in response. "Don't listen to her, Caro; you're not mangy," Ayowen said. Caro barked happily.

"You defend the dog, but not me?" Alistair pouted. "I'm hurt, Ayowen."

"Aww, I'm sorry, Ali-poo." She smiled and brought her lips to his. "Better?"

He smiled, "Better."

"Ali-poo?" Leliana asked, laughing.

"Yes. Ali-poo. I think it fits him rather well, don't you?"

Leliana laughed again. "Yes, I think it does."

"Well, we should get going. The sooner we get to Redcliffe, the better." Ayowen got up and went back to her tent. She put on her make-shift mage robes, boots, and gloves that were enchanted by Sandal. Her new "robes" consisted of very light armor and had trousers instead of a dress, which she liked. Alistair and her had decided to get rid of their Grey Warden armor since it labeled them as traitors.

The rest of them also got ready, and soon they left. The journey there was uneventful; until Alistair stopped.

"Ayowen," he said, hesitantly. "There's something I should tell you before we go into Redcliffe."

The tone of his voice worried her, "Something bad, I take it?"

"I don't know. I've never seen it as a good thing." He took a deep breath. "Let's see, how can I say this? I'm a bastard; and before you make any smart remarks, I mean the fatherless kind. I told you that Arl Eamon had raised me; the reason he did that was because my father was King Maric."

"So, you're not just a bastard, but a royal bastard?"

He chuckled, "I suppose I am."

She took his hand. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I would've told you, but it never really meant anything to me," he shrugged. "I was inconvenient, a possible threat to Cailan's rule. So, they kept me secret. I never talked about it to anyone. Everyone who knew either resented me for it or coddled me. Even Duncan kept me out of the fighting because of it. I didn't want you to know as long as possible." He looked at her and blushed. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you want me to know?"

"I didn't want you to look at me differently."

She smiled, "Alistair, you could tell me you were part nug and I wouldn't look at you any different." She thought about it for a moment and realized how important this was. "Doesn't that make you heir to the throne?"

His eyes grew wide, "Maker's breath, I hope not! The very idea of it gives me a heart attack. No, if there's an heir to the throne it's Arl Eamon, if he's still...no, I don't want to think about that."

"Well, we're going to find out soon enough." She noticed that Alistair was still wide-eyed. "Come on," she said to him. "Everything will be fine."

* * *

"How could you do that?!" Alistair was standing in front of her, fuming. "How could you let Isolde sacrifice herself using blood magic? I owe the Arl more than that! And you're a mage, you should know better than anyone else that blood magic is wrong!"

Ayowen pressed her fingers to her temples and sighed. The two of them were standing in their nightclothes outside camp, far enough away so the others wouldn't hear. "Don't fucking stand there and lecture me about blood magic!" she shouted. Her hands were clenched and beginning to smoke. "I had no choice, Alistair! What else was I supposed to do?"

"We could've went to the Circle! They would've helped us!"

"It would've taken too long! How many more nights do you think Redcliffe would've survived had we left? There wouldn't have been a damned village to come back to!" She unclenched her fists, trying to keep her hands from catching fire; something they did whenever she became angry.

"You don't know that! We could've tried, Ayowen! We should have tried!"

"We could've tried, but so many people would've died! They're not soldiers, they're civilians; they wouldn't have made it! Losing one life is better than losing many! Isn't that part of being a Grey Warden? Knowing when sacrifices need to made?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've left it to me to lead; that means I have to make the tough decisions, and I did. Do you want to take charge? Do you want that weight on your shoulders?"

He stood there, and thought about it, realizing she was right. "No," he said quietly. "No, I don't. I'm sorry." He sighed, "You're right. I'm being an ass." He reached out to embrace her, but she pushed him away.

"Don't fucking touch me." She was on the verge of tears, she was so angry. She had questioned herself when she allowed Jowan to perform the ritual, but she knew sacrificing one was better than the loss of many. Alistair becoming upset with her made her doubt herself again. "I'm going for a walk," she said bitterly.

"Can I come with you?"

"No." She turned and walked away from him. She knew she shouldn't wander outside of camp on her own, but she wanted to be alone to calm down. She didn't look back at Alistair, but she knew he was watching her. Through the trees she went, further and further away from camp.

Alistair went back to camp and sat by the fire.

"Where's Ayowen?" Leliana asked.

"She went for a walk." He stared into the flames, replaying the argument in his head. He shouldn't have yelled at her; he should've seen the reasoning behind her choice as soon as she made it. He sat there mentally scolding himself for a long time before realizing Ayowen was still gone. She wouldn't be gone this long, she knows how dangerous that is. Maybe he just didn't see her come back. "Leliana?"

"Yes, Alistair?"

"Has Ayowen come back yet?"

"No. She's been gone for a while though. I think you should go look-"

"Alistair!" Ayowen screamed.

Alistair immediately shot up, grabbed his sword and shield outside their tent, and ran in the direction of her voice. He felt that familiar sensation whenever darkspawn were near. "Ayowen!" He ran as fast as he could, but it didn't feel fast enough. Finally, he came into a clearing. Standing there was Ayowen going head to head with an ogre.

She threw fire at the beast with one hand, the other she held against her body. Alistair lunged in front of her, drawing the ogre's attention. The beast swung a muscled hand at Alistair, but he dodged it, slashing at it with his sword. The ogre continued throwing attacks at Alistair; he couldn't find an opening to drive his sword into the monster's chest. Ayowen managed to slow it down slightly with ice, giving Alistair the opening he needed. In a few swift moves, the ogre was dead.

Alistair pulled his sword out of its chest and turned to Ayowen. She was standing there, holding her ribs; pain now rushing to her middle as the adrenaline from the fight wore off. He rushed over to her and carefully lifted her into his arms. He carried her back to camp and took her to Morrigan's tent. "Can you heal her?"

"Yes, I can heal her," Morrigan said, not asking what happened. "Just lay her down here," she pointed to a spot on the ground near her fire. Alistair placed her gently on the ground and sat down away from the fire, giving Morrigan space. He watched as she trailed her hands just above Ayowen, healing the broken ribs. Every now and then, Ayowen winced in pain. The process seemed to go on forever; Alistair could see the fatigue on Morrigan's face. Finally, she stopped.

"I have healed you as best I can. Your ribs are no longer broken, but you will be sore. For how long, I do not know," Morrigan said.

Ayowen tried to sit up, but stopped when pain shot through her middle. She sighed loudly; this was going to makes things much more difficult, and that was the last thing she needed. "Thank you, Morrigan. Alistair, can you help me up?"

"Of course." He stood next to her, lifting her to her feet while keeping her torso as straight as possible. "How much pain are you in?"

"It's not that bad." She said through gritted teeth. She tried to walk, but it was hard.

Alistair walked up behind her and hesitantly wrapped an arm around her waist to help her walk. He wasn't sure if she'd let him help her, but she didn't have any objections. They made it back to their tent and he helped her sit on her bedroll. He sat down next to her. "You scared me, Ayowen. When you screamed, I-"

"I'm sorry." she interrupted. "I shouldn't have wandered out so far; I didn't realize how long I'd been walking. I was so upset, I wasn't paying attention. When I sensed the ogre, he was already right in front of me. He hit me and sent me flying into a tree." She held her arms out for Alistair; he moved closer to her, gently wrapping his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest and whispered, "I was so scared. I thought I was going to die." She never admitted to being afraid, it made it her feel weak, but she wasn't ashamed to tell Alistair.

"Don't apologize. It was my fault. If I hadn't yelled at you, you wouldn't have left and you wouldn't have gotten hurt." He kissed the top of her head. "I won't question your decisions anymore."

"I don't mind you questioning me. If you have something to say, I want you to say it, but not after the fact. It's too late by then. Question me; ask me why I'm doing what I'm doing, but be civil. I don't like it when you're being an ass," she said smiling, instantly forgiving him. There was something about having your life saved by the person who upset you that made you forgive and forget.

He smiled back and kissed her again. "Alright."

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired."

"Me too." He slowly lied down, keeping her in his arms. "Good night."

"Sleep tight," she said, bringing her lips up to his, giving him a soft kiss before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"This place is so... weird," Ayowen said quietly. The group had travelled to Haven in search of Brother Genitivi. They weren't exactly welcomed with open arms by the guard watching the road.

They walked through the village; there was no sound except for their foot steps. They passed a few houses, all of them looking abandoned. There was nobody around except a small boy standing near one of the houses, reciting a chant or children's rhyme.

"Come, come, bonny Lynne. Tell us, tell us where you've been." It was nothing Ayowen had ever heard before. She slowly approached the child, but he didn't seem to notice her. "Were you up, were you down? Chasing rabbits 'round the town. Come, come, bonny Lynne. Tell us, tell us where you've been. Come, come, bonny Lynne. We've a bed to put you in. It is soft; it is warm. It will shelter from the storm. Come, come, bonny Lynne. We've a bed to put you in. Dear, dear, bonny Lynne sleeps the peaceful crib within. A mossy stone, a finger bone. No one knows but Lynne alone. Dear, dear, bonny Lynne sleeps the peaceful crib within."

When the boy appeared to be finished with his... thing... Ayowen walked closer to him. "Hello."

The boy jumped a little, noticing Ayowen for the first time. "Who are you? You shouldn't be here."

Ayowen crouched down, allowing her to be eye-level with the child. "And who are you to tell me that?"

"I asked you first."

"Fair enough. I'm Ayowen."

He stood in front of her with a blank look on his face. "Lowlanders don't belong here." He turned his back to her and resumed his chant. Ayowen watched him for a few more moments, waiting to see if the child would do anything else. He turned back around to face her. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I bet you're a clever boy," she said smiling. "What can you tell me about your little town here?"

He shrugged, "Haven is Haven, but I have a secret. Want to see?" Before Ayowen could respond, the boy pulled something out of his pocket; it was a finger bone.

Ayowen grimaced. "Who did you, uh, get that from?"

"I found it," he said. His eyes seemed to light up as he admired the finger bone. "It's lucky. I keep it with me all the time. Don't tell anyone, all right?"

"Um, I wo-" Before Ayowen could finish, the boy ran off. Ayowen watched him run away; unsure of what just happened. "Well," she said to the group. "That was... odd, to say the least." She stood up and winced a little, her ribs were still sore from the ogre. She turned around and began walking through the town. "Let's look around some more. I'm sure we'll find something else strange." They passed more houses, each one looking like the last.

Ayowen stopped in front of one; she looked around, making sure no one could see them. "What are you doing?" Alistair asked.

She walked to the front door and knocked softly; there was no answer. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. "I just want to take a look." She stepped into the house and was slightly disappointed; it just looked like a normal house; there was a fire place, a table, and some chairs. She walked into the small hallway and looked into each of the rooms; they were all bedrooms, there was nothing strange about them. She reached the last room and before she opened the door, a metallic scent filled her nose.

She hesitated before opening the door; she wasn't sure she wanted to see what was passed the door. She held her breath and pushed the door open. An altar stood in front of them, covered in blood.

"Maybe it was used for cutting meat," Alistair said with doubt in his voice.

Ayowen scoffed. "Something tells me that's not the case."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be optimistic. The other possibility is slightly more disturbing."

Morrigan walked closer to the altar, examining it. "It's human blood."

"I knew there was something wrong as soon as we stepped into town." Ayowen turned to leave the house, the others followed close behind.

They followed the road that went through the town. It went up a hill and led to more houses and a small store. They entered the store and found the first person they had seen in the whole town, excluding the guard and the little boy. "Hello," she said, forcing a smile on her face.

The man looked at her suspiciously. "Who are you? You're not from here."

"Why does everyone keep telling me that like I don't already know it?"

"We, uh, just don't get many visitors here," he said sheepishly.

"I can't imagine why," she said under her breath. "So, I'm curious about Haven? Anything you can tell me?"

He shrugged, "How can you describe the place you only know as home?"

"Um, alright, then." She obviously wasn't going to learn anything about Haven from this man, so she gave up on that. "Has a man named Brother Genitivi passed through here?"

"No. There's been no Brother Genitivi here."

Ayowen was sure he was lying. Before she could call him out on it, her mabari began barking. He was facing a door to the left of the counter; the hair on his back was standing up. "What's in there?" she asked the man.

"Nothing," he said quickly. "That's private."

His quick response made her even more suspicious. "Uh huh. I think I'll just take a quick peak."

"No." His hand started reaching for something under the counter.

Ayowen grabbed it and pinned him on the counter; her ribs screamed at her, but she fought through it. "What's in that room?"

The man struggled, but Ayowen was too strong. Alistair was impressed; he never really thought of mages as being physically strong, but here was one standing in front of him, holding down a fully grown man, and the mage was a woman. "I'll hold him, you go check the room," he said to Ayowen, taking her place.

"Thanks." She walked over and opened the door. Lying on the floor was a man in armor from Redcliffe; it was one of Arl Eamon's knights. She went back to the man on the counter and lifted his head up from his hair, so he was forced to look at her. "Why is there a dead knight from Redcliffe here?"

The store owner didn't say anything, he just continued to struggle. Ayowen sighed and slammed his head on the counter, knocking him unconscious. She pulled her knife from her belt and quickly slid it across his throat.

"He was knocked out, you didn't need to kill him," Alistair said as he watched the man slump to the floor.

"We couldn't risk him warning the rest of the village when he woke up. We need to find Brother Genitivi and we don't need a bunch of civilians coming after us with torches and pitch forks." She walked past Alistair and left the store.

They went further up the hill and found the village's chantry. "Do you hear that? The whole town must be in there," Ayowen said as they approached the chantry. She pushed open the large door and walked up to the man who was preaching.

The man looked at Ayowen with irritation. "Ah, welcome," he said, his tone matching his expression. "I had heard we had a visitor wandering about the village. I trust you've enjoyed your time in Haven so far?"

"I'm afraid your people aren't very welcoming," Ayowen said with a cold smile on her face. "Though, I do appreciate the fact that we have received a much warmer welcome than the knights of Redcliffe did."

"This, my brothers," he crossed his arms, "is what happens when you let an outsider into the village. They have no respect for our privacy." He pointed a long, bony finger at Ayowen. "She will tell others of us if we let her. Word will spread, and then what? You, stranger, do not understand our ways. You would bring war to Haven, in your ignorance."

"My ignorance...right. I'm not sure I want to understand your ways, they seem rather freakish to me. But I'm not here to discuss whether or not this whole village should be burned to the ground." Her voice grew dark and serious, "I'm here to find Brother Genitivi. What have you done with him?"

"We don't owe you any explanations for our actions. We had a sacred duty; failure to protect Her would be a greater sin. All will be forgiven." There was no feeling in his voice, it was hard and sounded eery. His reached for his staff and all the villagers attacked Ayowen and her followers.

The battle was over and the chantry floor was covered with the blood and bodies of the villagers. Ayowen looked around the chantry, seeking any clues to Brother Genitivi's whereabouts. On the right wall, there was a portion that looked different. "Alistair, come here. Do you see how this part of the wall is different?"

"Yes."

"Push on it with me." The two of them threw their weight into the wall and it began to turn. It opened to a small room and in the middle of the floor was an unconscious man. She walked over to him and held her hand in front of his face. "He's alive, he's breathing." She nudged him, waking him up. "Are you Brother Genitivi?"

The man sat up slowly, and looked at Ayowen. "Who are you? They-they've sent you to finish it?"

"I'm Ayowen. I'm here to help you," she said softly.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "You don't know how glad I am to see someone who's not from this village." He groaned in pain. "The leg's not doing so well... and I can't feel my foot." She looked at the wound on his leg; it was deep and desperately needed healing.

She held her hands over his leg and poured magic into the wound. The opening closed itself and began looking less bruised. "That's all I can do. I'm not sure how well your foot's going to hold up. The only thing that may fix that is stronger healing magic and rest."

"I don't have time for rest. I'm so close!" he exclaimed. "The Urn is just up that mountain!"

"Then we need to hurry. Arl Eamon gets sicker everyday; he needs the ashes," Alistair said.

The brother's eyes widened in shock. "The arl is sick? Will he live?"

"I don't know," Ayowen said. "He was poisoned, under Loghain's orders."

Brother Genitivi shook his head. "Politics. Never did anyone any good. The arl is a noble soul. The ashes will surely save him!"

"Do you know where they are?"

"Just up that mountain. There's a door up there, but we need a key. It looks like a medallion, the revered father keeps it around his neck."

She pulled a necklace from her pocket. "Is it this?"

Genitivi nodded, "Yes, that is your key."

"It doesn't look like a key. How would it open the door?"

"It can be manipulated to fit the door. If you help me up the mountain, I can open the door," the brother said excitedly.

"Are you sure you can make it up that mountain?"

"Yes, with a little help."

Ayowen hesitated before responding, contemplating whether to take him or not. She wanted to move quickly and he would only slow them down, but yet he knew how to open the door and he had spent much of his life researching the ashes; it only seemed fair that he get a chance to see them. "Alright. Alistair, can you help me?"

"Of course." The two of them lifted Genitivi up and pulled his arms over their shoulders. They left the chantry and slowly made their way up the mountain.

* * *

"I can't believe Arl Eamon wants to make me king," Alistair said, pacing back in forth in front of his tent. "I can't rule a country!"

Ayowen sighed. "Alistair, please sit down. He can't decide who becomes king, that's up to the landsmeet."

"He has a lot of influence; he could convince them to choose me!"

Ayowen stood up and cupped Alistair's face in her hands. "Listen to me; if you don't want to be king, you don't have to be. They're not going to choose someone who doesn't want the throne." She shook him a little, making sure she had his attention. "You don't have to be king."

Alistair looked into her deep green eyes and knew she was right, but he felt a little guilty. "It's my duty. I'm a Theirin."

Ayowen sighed again, knowing this conversation wasn't going anywhere. "Look, right now, that's not our main concern, right? Let's focus on the task at hand, and we can figure this out later."

He leaned closer to her and rested his forehead on hers. "Alright."

She gave him a light kiss and pulled away. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Sure."

They took each other's hand and walked away from camp and into the woods. It was getting dark, but there was still enough light to see by. Ayowen took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill her lungs. She loved taking walks in the woods, and she loved them even more when she was with Alistair.

She stopped and turned to Alistair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to kiss him. She pulled back and looked into his amber eyes. "I love you, Alistair."

He returned her gaze and tried to respond, but couldn't find his voice. His stood there, his mouth partly open. "Should I not have said that?" Ayowen asked.

He finally managed to speak, "No! I mean, yes! I mean- I love you too. I couldn't get myself to talk for a second. I was just shocked." He sighed, "Can I do mine over?"

"What?"

"Can I say my 'I love you' again and have you pretend that it was my first time saying it to you?" he asked with a shy smile on his face.

She laughed and smiled back. "Yes, you can do it over if you really want."

"Ok." He cleared his throat and smiled at her. "Ayowen," he put his forehead on hers while still holding her gaze. "I love you more than I would be able to describe in words. The number of stars pales in comparison to my love for you, you make me feel warmer than any fire, my heart beats faster than the flapping of birds' wings just by thinking of you, I think I would've lost myself after what happened at Ostagar had you not been there for me, you have me under some sort of spell that doesn't need any magic."

Her smile grew wider, "I didn't know that I had that much effect on you." She blinked hard, trying to hold back tears. "Maker's breath, Alistair. You're going to make me cry."

"What? Why? Was it that bad?"

She pulled herself up to kiss him again. "No, it wasn't bad at all! I think that had to have been the best 'I love you' ever."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because," she said as Alistair wiped away a tear that had escaped. "I never thought I'd ever have a chance to love or be loved by anyone. Love is a dangerous thing in the Circle."

Alistair cupped her face and kissed her again. "You're never going to get used to being completely free of the Circle, are you?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't think so." She took his hand and squeezed it, "We'd best get back to camp."


End file.
